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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. charge — electricity
  3. firm — a company
  4. last — final
  5. fine — high quality
  6. firm — decided
  7. charge — in control
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. rest — what's left
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. firm — steady
  12. fine — all right
  13. charge — a price
  14. shower — to wash
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. shower — rain
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. last — to go on
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. last — finally
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — a sales talk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com